British pop star Chas Smash has hinted rumours he has quit as trumpet player and backing singer for hit 1980s band Madness are true. The percussionist was one of the seven original members of the ska band when they formed in the late 1970s, and he was the main architect of their comeback in 1992 after they split up six years earlier (86).
He is currently preparing for the release of his solo album A Comfortable Man, sparking speculation he is walking away from Madness, and Smash fuelled the rumour mill in October (14) by telling an interviewer he was thinking of quitting the band.
Now Smash, real name Cathal Smyth, has hinted the gossip is true, telling Mojo magazine, "That was in an article. Like I say, a beautiful conclusion!... The new story of me is that I'm in a good place. I'm enjoying being me. I'm not fighting within the band for my voice, because I've got my voice. I saw (Madness keyboardist) Mike Barson at (my solo) gig which was really nice. It sounds egotistical but I know I'm the spirit of the band, I bring the joy element."

I first fell in love with Lisa Kudrow while watching Romy and Michele's High School Reunion. I had never encountered someone so enjoyably silly. It wasn't long after that I discovered the joys of Friends and Phoebe's similar eccentric silliness. Now that The Comeback has returned nine years after its first season, I'm reminded of that love. I couldn't decide which of her characters is my favorite though: Valerie or Phoebe?
Both ladies are respected for their dance moves.
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Winner: Valerie. Phoebe's dance moves come off a little frightening, especially compared to the pure joy that radiates from Valerie while she dances the night away.
Both ladies have a flare for musical performances.
Winner: Phoebe. As much as we love watching Valerie cover Gloria Gaynor, we have to give props to the Central Park songstress for her ability to come up with creative songs that often made us cringe. She was able to develop rhymes for all of the names of her Friends, cover The Police in ways to persuade Ross, and even sang of darker things, like the death of grandparents and her mother's suicide. Val couldn't even sing without reading the lyrics.
Both understand the importance of physical fitness:
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Winner: Phoebe. She actually exercises, and manages to have fun doing it, which we thought was impossible. Our approach to exercise is closer to Val's, which we suspect isn't doing much for our physical well-being.
Both ladies know how to get what they want from men.
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Winner: Valerie. Phoebe may have Mike, but Valerie has Mark. Valerie also has Paulie G somehow creepily in love with her, which we can't decide if it's a good or bad thing, but it's getting her jobs, which is really all she wants anyway.
Both ladies have somewhat awkward approaches to sex.
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Winner: We don't think anybody wins in this situation; we're just glad to have witnessed both of those moments.
Neither is afraid of using a little profanity when it's called for.
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Winner: Phoebe. Valerie always seems a bit uncomfortable when she has to use foul language, yet Phoebe's Pac-Man-inspired outburst has such a beautiful quality to it; it's like watching a symphony conducted.
Neither lady is the greatest actress (sorry, Val).
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Winner: Valerie. It's kind of a no contest, she has a People's Choice Award, after all. Phoebe's stint on Days of Our Lives ("DOOL," for those in the know) doesn't hold a candle to Valerie's career: I'm IT, Room and Bored, and now Seeing Red? It's a wonder she only has one PCA!
Most importantly, neither is afraid of looking a little silly.
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Overall winner: anyone who has gotten to watch Lisa Kudrow's hilarious antics for the past 20 years.
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Actor Al Pacino has been left shocked by the unexpected death of his Angels In America director Mike Nichols, revealing the beloved filmmaker was "a dear friend". A host of Hollywood stars took to social media, TV and radio on Thursday to pay tribute to Nichols, who suffered a cardiac arrest and died on Wednesday (19Nov14), and now heavyweights Pacino, Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks have added their thoughts to the list of celebrities honouring the great man's legacy.
The Godfather star Pacino became good friends with Nichols after they worked together on the 2003 TV adaptation of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America, and the actor admits he is struggling to come to terms with the sad news.
He tells the New York Post, "He was my dear friend, and I loved him. He was the greatest director I ever worked with.
"I am deeply touched by (his passing) and it's a little soon for me to respond. The shock hasn't worn off."
Pacino's Angels In America co-star Streep has also shared her memories of longtime collaborator Nichols in a statement which reads: "An inspiration and joy to know, a director who cried when he laughed, a friend without whom, well, we can't imagine our world, an indelible irreplaceable man."
Meanwhile, Hanks, who starred in the filmmaker's final directorial feature, Charlie Wilson's War, adds, "'Forward. We must always move forward. Otherwise what will become of us?,' said Mike Nichols, who changed the lives of those who knew him, who loved him, who will miss him so."
And actress Natalie Portman, who won her first Oscar nomination for her role in Nichols' 2004 film Closer, has added her own touching tribute to Nichols.
A message issued to Eonline.com reads: "There's nothing good enough I can write that would do Mike justice. He was the one who had the best words, the right hug for hard times, the funny comment to diffuse your pain. He saved me again and again. He was the best way to be a person and an artist. And the most, most fun."

Hollywood veterans Steven Spielberg, Kevin Spacey, and Julianne Moore have paid tribute to The Graduate director Mike Nichols following his death on Wednesday (19Nov14). Nichols, the husband of news anchor Diane Sawyer, passed away following a cardiac arrest. He was aged 83.
His director pal Spielberg has now paid a moving tribute, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "Mike was a friend, a muse, a mentor, one of America's all time greatest film and stage directors, and one of the most generous people I have ever known. For me, The Graduate was life altering... Mike had a brilliant cinematic eye and uncanny hearing for keeping scenes ironic and real. Actors never gave him less than their personal best - and then Mike would get from them even more. And in a room full of people, Mike was always the centre of gravity. This is a seismic loss."
More tributes poured in on social media from a number of stars including Kevin Spacey, who writes, "Mike Nichols gave me my start. A mentor, friend, colleague. One of the best observers of life. My thoughts are with Diane & his children."
Julianne Moore writes, "So very sad to hear of Mike Nichols death. A great talent, a wonderful, bright, charming human being," and Mia Farrow adds, "Funniest, smartest, most generous, wisest, kindest of all. Mike Nichols, a truly good man."
Zachary Quinto writes, "We've lost a tremendous artist. An arbiter of exquisite taste. A kind and generous man. A mind beyond compare. A heart full of unmitigated joy for life and art. You will be deeply missed sir. Rest in peace", and Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell adds, "Mike Nichols, your great work endures you. Thank you for all of it. Rest in peace."
Alec Baldwin offers, "There's one less truly brilliant director in the world today...." and John Leguizamo adds, "R.I.P what a genius... He will b (sic) missed!"
Bob Balaban, Entourage actor Jeremy Piven, director Edgar Wright and Scandal stars Tony Goldwyn and Joshua Malina also penned messages to Nichols.

20th Century Fox Film via Everett Collection
Warning: Spoilers for The Fault in Our Stars to follow!
Even if you know nothing else about The Fault in Our Stars, you’re probably aware of the fact that it is going to make you cry. The book will make you cry, the film — which opens June 6 — will make you cry, the music videos for the soundtrack will make you cry, and if you’re a particularly dedicated fan, even the word “Okay” can make you shed a tear or two. But lest you think that The Fault in Our Stars contains nothing but moments perfectly calibrated to leave you a sobbing mess on a movie theater floor, there are several moments in the film that won’t make you misty-eyed.
Seven of them, to be exact. And it is precisely those small reprieves from the two-hour roller coaster of devastation that will help you make it through The Fault in Our Stars in one piece. Just when you think you can't physically cry any more, these tiny segments of happiness will come along and bolster your spirits before, giving you the strength you need to make it to the end of Hazel and Gus' love story. Because we want you to be able to savor those fleeting moments of joy when they come around, we've rounded them all up so that you'll be able to recognize the perfect time to blow your nose and wipe your eyes when it comes along.
The Opening Scenes, with Hazel Moping Around the House Wait, stay with us! It sounds like it would be terribly depressing to watch a teenage girl with cancer lie on the couch and watch television, but it is actually one of the few non-life ruining scenes in the film. In fact, Laura Dern’s relentlessly up-beat demeanor actually makes it pretty funny.
Anything with Mike Birbiglia Any time you see Mike Birbiglia, a.k.a. Patrick, the obliviously uncool support group leader onscreen, you should savor those moments. He only gets three scenes (and an acoustic ditty about Jesus), but they’re the most traditionally comedic moments in the whole movie. So, enjoy the laughs while they’re coming, because the second Hazel and Gus make eye contact, it’s all over.
Hazel Waiting for Gus to Call After the initial meet-cute, but before they fall completely in love, there’s a small sequence in which Hazel waits impatiently for Gus to text her. Cherish these moments, and the quiet, hopeful look on Shailene Woodley’s face. Cherish the way she lights up when he finally does text. Cherish the way your heart is warmed, but your eyes remain clear – this is the last time this will happen.
Isaac Handling His Breakup by Breaking Things Sure, you’re going to want to focus on Hazel and Gus flirting in the foreground of this scene, but you should really be focusing on Isaac (Nat Wolff) smashing trophies behind them. Revel in the hilarity that the juxtaposition of these two scenes causes and remember the awkwardness of helping your friend though a breakup. Isaac and Monica are the only relationship in this movie that won’t shatter your heart, so appreciate that.
Gus Gets a Reply from Pete Van Houten Depending on how emotional you are or how well you know the book, this might make you tear up a little bit, but hold strong. This is a happy scene, a moment of triumph and celebration. From here it’s nothing but heartbreak and bawling into a bucket of popcorn the size of your head. Choose this moment to save your tears.
Hazel, Gus, and Isaac Egg Monica’s House This is it: the last moment of joy left in this film. By now, you’ve probably experienced the first wave of tears, so really take a moment to revel in the happiness that three teenagers throwing eggs at a car can bring you. Feel the thrill of watching Isaac avenge his broken heart. Every single scene after this will leave you devastated, so allow this fleeting scene of exhilaration to bolster you through the last act of this movie. Trust us, when it’s all done, you’ll look back on this moment fondly, and then you’ll probably cry with nostalgia.
See, it's not all completely gut-wrenching and heartbreaking!
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The former members of Welsh rockers Lostprophets are working on new music under a different name following the child abuse conviction of frontman Ian Watkins. The Streets of Nowhere hitmakers split in October (13), shortly before Watkins pleaded guilty to a string of sickening sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby, telling fans they could "no longer continue making or performing music as Lostprophets".
The singer was jailed for 35 years in December (13), and now the remaining members of the band - Lee Gaze, Mike Lewis, Stuart Richardson, Jamie Oliver and Luke Johnson - have reunited to start anew.
They have teamed up with ex-Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly to record new music for his Collect Records company, although he is only working with them as their label boss.
Discussing the new project, he says, "I think if ever there was a group of people that needed a second chance, it's those guys - and they're going to take full advantage of it. People don't really think of what happens to the other members. That took away their life. What happened is just devastating for them.
"It's been my honour to work with them on their new band from a label perspective. People are not going to know what hit them when the new band comes out. It's like everything I grew up on: a little bit of New Order, a little bit of Joy Division, little bit of The Cure. It's just so forward-thinking."
The name of the new group has yet to be announced.

Paramount Pictures
If the Autobots are stuck in a major throwdown, Optimus Prime is going to need some backup. When the fate of the world is on the line, sometimes Bumblebee won't cut it as the second in command. Enter Grimlock.
Yes, the long-awaited leader of the Dinobots will finally make his film debut in Transformers: Age of Extinction, but his design will surely spark criticism from Transformers fans. (The trailer doesn't give much confidence for his role in this movie, either.) Let's compare the new dino against the classic Generation 1 robot.
Classic Grimlock
Stubborn as hell, but monstrously powerful, Grimlock was a standard Tyrannosaurus Rex who beat up Decepticons with ease. His strength made him a valuable asset to the Autobots. Unfortunately, because Grimlock was so stubborn, they couldn't always count on him to make wise decisions. His behavior was unpredictable. When he was on board, however, Grimlock was one of the most powerful robots in the Transformers universe.
New Grimlock
Every Transformers fan must have felt a surge of joy when they heard Grimlock would be in the new movie. He's seen, very briefly at the end of the first Age of Extinction trailer, to be huge, dwarfing the already giant Autobots. And he's a juggernaut, busting through a wall as if it were a screen door. His silverish look is plain, nothing like G1 Grimlock (all of the original Dinobots had yellow and red colors mixed in their metallic gray look). Worst of all, he's diminished because Optimus Prime rides on top of him like a horse. What the hell? Grimlock would never let that happen. That better be some overwhelming plot point or something because that is most definitely not faithful to the Grimlock character.
So what’s your choice? What Grimlock do you prefer?
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Warner Bros. via Everett Collection/Getty Images
With a quick and heavy stomp, LeBron James crushed our dreams and debunked rumors of a possible Space Jam sequel. For the uninitiated, Space Jam is a fondly remembered kid's film from 1996 that featured the clumsy mash-up of NBA star Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes. The film retold the story of Michael Jordan's brief retirement and transition from professional basketball to professional baseball, back to professional basketball, except with Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck in tow. The news, which feels like it was brought to life through the sheer will of about a million 20-somethings, came about when Deadline reported that Charlie and Willie Ebersol, sons of legendary broadcaster Dick Ebersol, were set to produce a sequel to the 1996 hit, with James at its center. But James denied having any knowledge of the project at all, telling the Sun Sentinel, "It's news to me. I haven't heard anything about it. Like I said, I've always loved Space Jam. It was one of my favorite movies growing up. If I have the opportunity, it will be great." And with that, the dream is over. Even though the kid in me is mourning the loss of something that never actually existed in the first place, the adult in me wonders if a Space Jam movie with LeBron James would even work in 2014.
The thing is, Space Jam was a quintessential '90s thing in so many ways. It was so much a product of that particular time and cultural zeitgeist that it couldn't possibly work in this day and age, no matter how much your heart might want it. For one thing, Looney Tunes doesn't have the same cultural foothold that it did even in the mid '90s. While the '90s kids were certainly several decades removed from Mel Blanc's heyday, the original Looney Tunes shorts still enjoyed regular reruns on Cartoon Network, so many of the children back then were well acquainted with the exploits of Bugs Bunny and the gang. Nowadays, those old school Looney Tunes reruns have been shuffled off the network in favor of modern cartoons, and sadly, many kids will never know the simple pleasures of the "Wabbit season! Duck season!" gag. And while there was a short-lived modern iteration of the characters called The Looney Tunes Show, it only aired for two seasons. Besides that, our kids' attention spans are being stretched by an almost infinite amount of distractions, and they seem downright allergic to anything animated in two dimensions in a movie theater.
And just as Looney Tunes isn't the same as it was in '96, the NBA isn't either. In the '90s, Michael Jordan's reign over professional basketball propped the sport up to unimaginable heights. Jordan wasn't simply a basketball player, but a one-man cultural phenomenon. The entire world stopped to watch Jordan and the rest of his Chicago Bulls squad run the rest of the NBA ragged. His sheer dominance lifted the entire sport into mainstream consciousness, and the same can't be said about LeBron James and today's NBA. While James is by and large the NBA's most popular current player, coming off of two championships with the Miami Heat and eyeing a third, he has never reached the same realm of cultural ubiquity as Michael Jordan. The '90s were the decade where everyone wanted to be "like Mike," and LeBron (or any other NBA player) has never enjoyed anything close to that same level of adoration. It also doesn't help that some corners of the basketball world still view LeBron James as a villain rather than the hero. For as long as James stays in the league, to some people, he will always be the man that left his Cleveland for Miami. And even as the more rational members of society have cooled off that impression since 2010, some will always hold "The Decision" against him.
So, with Looney Tunes quickly slipping out of kids' minds, and the NBA simply not enjoying the popularity it once did, it seems like the idea of a Space Jam sequel was doomed from the start. Even though LeBron James is a wonderfully gifted basketball player, and might even have better on-screen presence than Michael Jordan did, the timing is all wrong. In any case, maybe the joy of Space Jam was the novelty and sheer inexplicability of it all. The idea of the biggest athlete of the decade staring in a half animated, half-live action retelling of his return to the NBA with cartoon characters from the 1940s and Bill Murray is completely bonkers when you think about it. It was product born out of very particular mid-'90s mind frame, and ir became a cultural touchstone almost despite how profoundly silly it is. Maybe it's best that we leave Space Jam in the past.
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Screen Gems
When David Mamet's play Sexual Pervesity in Chicago was adapted into the 1986 movie About Last Night, the self-absorbed Chicago twenty-somethings were played by Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Jim Belushi, and Elizabeth Perkins. In the 2014 remake, those parts are now being played by Michael Ealy, Joy Bryant, Kevin Hart, and Regina Hall and nothing about that seems unusual. It isn't that Mamet's play has changed much in the 40 years since he first wrote it, it's that some of the audience's preconceived notions of who can play what role have.Just as it happened with the reworked The Karate Kid that featured Jaden Smith in the title role made famous by Ralph Macchio, About Last Night takes a '80s story and adds some ethnic diversity to come up with something new. Well, there's a whole lot more movies from the '80s that are just sitting there waiting for just such a redo. Here are five stories that would work just as well in a more coloful version.
Sixteen Candles
Molly Ringwald playing the forgotten girl on her birthday, in love with an older boy and tormented by geeks in the John Hughes classic. Everything about the story still works, including the Chicago suburban setting that was ultra-white in the '80s. Disney Channel stalwart Coco Jones is the right age to play the teenager in love, and Zoe Kravitz would make a fine addition as her attention-hogging older sister. So what if Jones and Kravitz don't look alike? Ringwald looked nothing like her onscreen family in the original. In the all-important older guy role, someone like 90210's Tristan Wilds could provide the smolder. The only real issue would be what to do with the original's exchange student, The Donger. That was a role so racially regrettable that it doesn't exactly have a place in today's world.
Working Girl
In Mike Nichols' film, Melanie Griffith played the secretary that secretly takes over for her out-of-commission boss (Sigourney Weaver), proves a capable business woman, and wins the affection of Harrison Ford. The Griffith character would have to be called an assistant now, but otherwise there isn't much about the story that needs to change. Use someone like Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) or Tika Sumpter (Ride Along) as the underling trying to get ahead, maybe Halle Berry or even Gabrielle Union as the obnoxious boss and Taye Diggs as the love interest, and update the setting from a generic New York investment bank to the entertainment idustry. What Hollywood assistant doesn't want to push the boss out of the way and take over?
Flashdance
Sure, people remember the soundtrack but how many people remember the story? A steel-worker by day who dances in a bar by night, all while dreaming of making it as a legitimate professional dancer, and is pursued by her rich boss. Back then she wasn't really a stripper, but now she would have to be and she'd be trying to break into something hipper than ballet. The role could also be played this time by someone that can legitimately dance, since Jennifer Beals, the original star, was famously replaced by a body double. Someone like That Awkward Feeling's Jessica Lucas would work, or else there's got to be a Janelle Monáe back-up dancer that's ready to break out.
Caddyshack
Tiger Woods broke on the scene nearly 20 years ago, so a golf comedy set at a country club and featuring a diverse cast shouldn’t be any big deal. It's near sacrilege to many to consider remaking such a beloved classic, but a new version would be shooting for a whole new audience. After all, golfers of all colors are tired of reciting the same tired lines from the original. Start with Hart taking on the Rodney Dangerfield role of the rich guy that doesn't like the country club set. Imagine letting Hart riff on a bunch of rich people while dressed in ugly golf garb, throw in Saturday Night Live's Jay Pharoah as the wacky grounds keeper, and it just flows from there. You could have a who's who of comedy going... Godfrey, Chris Rock, Mike Epps, Katt Williams, Faizon Love… there would be a part for just about everyone. Heck, even Eddie Murphy might be convinced to do the Judge Smails role that Ted Knight made famous. That would be top notch.
Three Men and a Baby
Tom Selleck, Ted Danson and Steve Guttenberg were three well-off bachelors sharing a fabulous midtown Manhattan apartment that have their lives interrupted by a baby being dropped off at their doorstep. The idea of guys taking care of babies continues to be played for laughs, most recently in the sitcom Guys with Kids. What has been missing since Three Men is the angle of the guys being rich, Type A personalities. Take Jesse L. Martin, Tyler Perry and Damon Wayans Jr., move the setting to Hollywood, make them all successful and sharing a Charlie Sheen-type playpen, and then let a baby screw up their lives. It's comedy gold.
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Universal Pictures
Seth MacFarlane: writer, director, producer, Oscars host, and now, novelist. The Family Guy creator announced that he has written a novel based on the screenplay for his upcoming film, A Million Ways to Die in the West, and will release it in March, two months before the film hits theaters in May. The book will tell the story of Albert Stark, a sheep farmer who spends most of his time attempting to avoid the overwhelming dangers that fill the wild west in order to survive, until his girlfriend leaves him, and "Albert decides to fight back—even though he can’t shoot, ride, or throw a punch. Fortunately, he teams up with a beautiful gunslinger who’s tough enough for the both of them. Unfortunately, she’s married to the biggest, meanest, most jealous badass on the frontier. Turns out Albert has just discovered a million and one ways to die in the West."
Turning the film into a novel is an unusual choice, since MacFarlane's comedic style tends to rely on rapid-fire jokes and visual gags that may be difficult for him to translate from the screen into print. Since he wrote the novelization himself, it's very likely that those jokes will have made it into the book, but the story will need to have a little bit of depth or character development in order to work properly as a novel. However, turning the film into a novel could be a good sign, as it can be taken as an indication that the film has a lot more to it than just an endless stream of jokes. There's been no indication thus far that MacFarlane has added material for the novel, which means we all might need to get excited about A Million Ways to Die in the West.
But as weird as it might seem to read a novel from the same guy who wrote Family Guy or Ted, A Million Ways to Die in the West is not the strangest or most surprising film novelization out there. We've rounded up 12 of the weirdest ones, and ranked them in order of insanity. Looks like MacFarlane has a lot to live up to with this project.
12. Pretty In Pink If you've ever watched the classic 1986 film and wished that Andie had chosen her dorky, loyal best friend Duckie over rich kid Blaine at the end, we may have the perfect solution for you. The novelization of the film sticks with the original ending, and allows Duckie to live the dream of every awkward, poorly-dressed high school guy and win the girl of his dreams away from the obnoxious kid with good hair and a nice car. The downside, though, is that unlike the screenplay, it isn't written by John Hughes, which means it likely lacks some of the wit and heart that characterizes his film. But that's a small price to pay to watch the nerd emerge victorious.
11. Kazaam Remember when Shaquille O'Neal decided to try his hand at acting in the late 1990s, and the world was gifted with Kazaam? Well, it should come as no surprise to you, then, that movie executives realized that school children all across the country would buy anything with O'Neal's face on it, and churned out a novelization of the film in order to sell it at book fairs. Unlike most film novelizations, there are no significant changes or additions to the book, probably because there is very little that can be done to that script in order to make it worth reading, but that didn't stop it from flying off the shelves of every elementary school library around.
10. Great Expectations Long before he stranded Sandra Bullock in space, Alfonso Cuaron directed an adaptation of Great Expectations starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow. Then, someone adapted that adaptation into a novel that is even more "loosely" based on the Dickens classic. Although both the film and the novel make a lot of interesting and strange changes in order to modernize the story, the most inexplicable decision comes from author Deborah Chiel, who changed the name of the protagonist to Johnny from Fin (itself a change from the original name, Pip.) Dickens likely turned over in his grave when this hit bookshelves.
9. Crossroads The 2002 film Crossroads was notable not for its script, acting or cinematography but simply for the fact that it was the acting debut of pop princess Britney Spears. Which makes it even more surprising that someone would turn the film into a novel, as it then loses the one thing that made it worth talking about. Sure, Spears' face is on the cover, but the only reason to see the film was to watch her attempt to transition into a film career, and then sing along every time one of her songs played on the soundtrack. The book even takes away the joy that comes with watching Dan Akyroyd act in a Britney Spears film. It's all plot and no fun.
8. The Cabin in the Woods Co-written by Joss Whedon, this 2012 film was designed as a way to "revitalize the slasher film," and featured a surprise twist that thrilled fans and critics alike. But in case you're uncomfortable with too much gore, or you just never got to catch the film in theaters, there's a novelization of the film available so that you can still talk about the film without having to watch people get decapitated. It's the best of both worlds!
7. Mortal Kombat If there's one thing that old-school video games lacked, it's a strong sense of plot and character development. Jeff Rovin has remedied that by turning the video game Mortal Kombat into a novel, although he cut out most of the fighting in favor of backstory and long explanations of how the character came to be the super-powered fighting machines that they are. Which is cool if you're a hard-core fan, but let's be real, here: the only reason anyone was interested in Mortal Kombat was the fighting. Without that, what's the point?
6. John Carter John Carter is the story of a Civil War captain who gets transported to Mars after he dies, and leads a Martian army to save the princess. With it's mix of sci-fi and action, it makes sense that movie executives would want to turn the film into a novel; what doesn't make sense, though, is why they would choose to publish it alongside A Princess of Mars, the original Edgar Rice Burroughs story that it is based on, especially when the film famously failed to live up to its source material. You would think that the last thing they would want to do is draw attention to the ways the stories differed.
5. Paradise AlleyThis is a novelization of a film that was written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, adapted by Stallone himself, which makes it worthy of this list. You can actually own a book authored by the guy who played Rocky Balboa. What a time to be alive.
4. Spaceballs For some reason, Mel Brooks seem to think that his film Spaceballs would make an excellent children's book - which is not a thought that anyone who has ever seen Spaceballs shares. However, Brooks ignored everyone else, and the novelization was published, and sold to students in elementary schools across the country through Scholastic Book catalogs and school book fairs. Of course, they made sure to edit the content down to a more child-friendly nature, but anyone who's buying a Sapceballs book is probably not a child.
3. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls Everything that makes Ace Ventura work as a film is everything that makes it fail as a novel. The humor relies so heavily on Jim Carrey's physicality and line delivery, that without the visual element, all that's left are descriptions of the weird gags that take place in the film, which isn't fun or funny for anybody who reads these.
2. The Cat in the Hat No, we didn't make a mistake. Someone actually thought it was a good idea to turn the Mike Myers film into a novel, despite the fact that there is a book that already exists that is better written and more fun to read than the movie itself. When it comes to a showdown between the original Cat in the Hat and any kind of pale imitation, Dr. Suess will always walk away the winner. There's a reason it's become a classic, and it has nothing to do with Myers.
1. Howard the Duck Nobody who has ever watched Howard the Duck has wished that the story lasted longer. Nobody. But the strangest thing about this novelization isn't the fact that it exists in the first place, but the fact that it is widely regarded to be better than its source material, and even adds extra layers of depth and humor to the characters and story that appears onscreen. That's right: Howard the Duck has hidden layers. Who'd have known?
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